Bill Haslam on tap to lead GOP governors group

photo Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam speaks to supporters in Nashville after being re-elected Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014.
Arkansas-Tennessee Live Blog

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam may be elected chairman of the Republican Governors Association today during the organization's annual conference.

"I told them I'd be willing to do it," Haslam said in a brief interview Wednesday.

"It's an important organization," he added, explaining his interest in the post. "I am one of those guys who thinks it matters who governs -- particularly who governs in our states."

The organization's annual conference began Wednesday in a luxury oceanside resort where the nation's Republican governors are celebrating their party's recent success in the midterm elections while privately jockeying for position as the 2016 presidential contest looms.

None of the most likely White House candidates is expected to seek to replace the outgoing RGA chief, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, as the group's chairman. It's a position with responsibilities that would conflict with the presidential primary season.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said he would not run for the RGA chairmanship for just that reason.

"It's pretty obvious at least it's something I should consider," Walker said of a White House bid during an interview with The Associated Press. "And if I'm going to do that, I'm not going to put my colleagues in the position of having someone in place who isn't 100 percent committed to the leadership of the organization."

The conference comes two weeks after the GOP's midterm rout, in which they gained control of Congress and expanded their majority of governorships across the country.

In January the Republican Party will control 31 states compared with Democrats' 19.

The party's strong performance offers a presidential springboard to governors who won re-election, Walker among them, and others, such as Christie, who played a leading role in the GOP's success.

While Hillary Rodham Clinton remains the overwhelming Democratic front-runner should she seek the presidency, the prospective Republican field is crowded and without a clear leader.

Upcoming Events